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HI EVERYONE! I'M BACK!!!!! Did you miss me? So sorry about my absence here on the blog but I'm *finally* able to catch up now so hang on to your hats! 'Cuz I've got some exciting news!

So I've come to the realization that I've had this little blog for a whole year now! One year, one month and ten days to be exact.

All through September I had been suspecting it but my life as of late has been like this:

*Repeat*

So thus, I missed it (sad face).

BUT...

That's not going to stop me from celebrating now! So after washing a load of dishes (giving me a moment to think of something I could do), I thought that first I'd do a flash back to where I've come from since my first post then I'll move on to a giveaway (sneaky sneaky).

Since this is a sewing blog (that I throw in a bit of my personal life here and there) one of my goals was to document my sewing journey. Since I first started blogging I've:

Learned to sew with knit materials (see a dress I made here)Learned to crochetLearned a bit of alteration skills (see here where I altered my first dress)Costumed half of a web seriesMade my first dog costume (you can view the cutie modeling it at The Athens' Regional Cancer Center in Athens TN)Created a wedding veil from scratchSewed with terry cloth for the first time (see the apron I made here)and learned how to sew a vent in a sleeve (see a tutorial I made here)

And I've also done a bit of business throughout the year (as in, projects I've gotten paid for! YAY!). I hope to double that amount of knowledge by this time next year, but we'll see...So what's in store for the upcoming year? What projects are next? Well hopefully if all goes as planned (which is never in my case) I'll be taking a few more online classes to increase my sewing skills and I have a few projects that I want to do on the side as well like:

Sew a coat for the first time (I've never worked with wool before so I'd like to give it a shot)Add some new skirts and dresses to my wardrobe (because who doesn't want new clothes especially ones you made yourself?)Some tee shirts Doll costumesA new medieval gown for me (because for some reason I do not have a princess gown in my costumes stash. What's wrong with me?!?)More crochet and knitting projectsA dress that I already bought fabric for (just haven't made yet...)

and maybe some other things as well! We'll see as the year goes by!

On the non-sewing related side, I'll still be sharing bits of my crazy life with you all including more book reviews and something else I'm working on. I can't tell you now but just know it's a part of my business and ministry. Hopefully, I'll *finally* start working on some of the other aspects of my website and this will become a part of that. If it helps, no one in my family but my brother Jonathan knows what it is either. But I hope to start posting about it soon.

Okay, now onto the giveaway!

Now that you all have gotten to know me over the past year I would like to get to know you! What's your name? Where are you from? Do you like Charlie Brown (I mean who doesn't?)? So here's how the giveaway works!Leave a comment on this post answering these questions:

1: What's your first name + gender?

2: What's your age?

3: What's your favorite part about this blog?

and

4: Do you sew?

Then give at least one question you would like to ask me and I'll answer them (within reason) in another post after the giveaway is closed. It's that easy!

What's that? What do you win? Oh yeah! Well be patient, I'm getting there...

The giveaway will close exactly two weeks from today (Nov 2nd). You can comment as many times as you want, but you'll only be eligible to enter once. In other words, you can leave six comments with different questions for me but you'll only be put in the drawing one time and only if you answer the four questions above about yourself. Make sense? Good!

I know, I know, I'm getting there! Just be patient (it's a virtue ya know)...

The winner will be selected at random the ole' fashion way, I'll write all the entries down on a slip of paper and have one of my handsome brothers draw a name out of a hat. Hey, remember this is my first anniversary party to throw! Give me a break! But y'all trust me right? ;)

Okay, okay, OKAY! FINE! I'll tell you what the prize is now!

If you'll remember I mentioned above (for those of you that skipped that part and moved on down to the giveaway) that one of the skills I learned this year was crocheting. So in celebration of all my achievements, I'm giving away a pair of crochet earrings that I made with me own two hands!

Ain't they purdy? And if for some reason a guy is following this blog, (which would be slightly creepy...) if you win, I'll make a handmade bow tie that is an exact replica of the one Mr. News wears in S.C. TreeHouse Productions' Web series Literal: What We Believe. 'Cuz you wouldn't want a pair of earrings now would you? Course not! So I'll be fair.

To recap:

Leave a comment before November 2nd answering the following questions:

1: What's your first name+gender?

2: What's your age?

3: What's your favorite part about this blog?

4: Do you sew?

and at least ONE question you would like me to answer. You can only be eligible to enter ONCE but feel free to leave as many questions for me to answer. And don't be shy to ask random ones like:

"Have you ever ridden a dragon before?" or "Do you have one pink toe?"

I'll do my best to answer within reason :).

Thank you all soooooo much for following along with me on this journey! I can't wait to see what else my Father and Creator has in store for me and to be able to share it with you all!Now go enter the giveaway quick! Remember, you only have two weeks!

Since I don't really wear earrings because they make my eyes itch...weird, I know...I will pass on the contest but I do have a question for ya...
What are ya planning that I can't know about????? HMMMM???????
Oh yeah, My name is The Mother
I am a female
I am older than you...20+years older
I do sew
My favorite part about your blog is watching you blossom as you produce it!

#1. Marie - female
#2. older than you - 30 years older to be exact
#3. My favorite part about your blog is the quirkiness of your writing. You write how you speak - and I love that!
#4. I do not sew (I do not want to sew. I do not want to sew in a box, I do not want to sew with a fox, etc. etc. etc.)

Susie-Chris, did I just say you talk quirky? Yes, I did.

Reply

Tammy

10/20/2014 01:27:07 am

#1 Tammy - female
#2 45 .... For a few more days! :)
#3 How you express your love for the Lord
#4 How old were you when you started to sew?

Reply

marie

10/20/2014 02:53:07 am

I forgot my question -

At what age did you realize that you no longer completely hated the nickname Susie-Chris and that your favorite aunt was actually the most intelligent one in the bunch for creating it?

Reply

Rosana

10/20/2014 04:27:02 am

1. Rosana- female
2. 45 and proud of every year and gray hair. I've earned them all.
3. My favorite part is seeing someone so young take so much pride in their craft.
4. I love to sew, but I am only so-so at it. (Pun intended)

My question is...If you could design and sew a weeding dress for any famous woman, past or present, who would it be? And why?

Reply

Isabela

10/20/2014 07:54:01 am

#1- Isabela - female

#2- younger than you, 4 years younger to be exact ;)

#3- I love the fact that when i'm reading your blog its like you're sitting right in front of me talking to my face, like my mama said, you write how you talk.

#4- I can sew (notice I only said I can, not that I like doing it, not that i'm an expert at it) ...I don't sew

and my question is....what has been your absolute favorite thing you have ever sewn?

Reply

Angela Female

10/20/2014 11:08:22 am

1. Angela
2. Age about the same as my friends All grown up.
3. I love the directions and pictures. Your writing in great! Love the modest clothing and the refashioned dress. I like the different things you are taking on in your blog.
4. I do sew some, but I am really just a sewing want to be. I don't sew very often. I have to learn how to sew on my sewing machine again each time I get ready to sew because I have forgotten between times.
What to put on the blog- Teach how to sew zippers into dresses and skirts

I'm Jennifer and I am a girl
I am 40 ... which means I am no longer a young girl ;)
This is my first time reading your blog, so I can only comment on what you have said today. I like that you are trying new things that do not necessarily involve electronics ... and since I love to crochet, I think that is a great choice.
I can sew a few things, but I am certainly not accomplished. I did successfully make my daughter a jumper once, but I thought I would lose my mind trying to get everything right.

My question ... how would you like to come to Mississippi and teach my daughter how to make a skirt!

Reply

Beth

10/21/2014 12:56:25 am

1. Beth and I'm female.
2. A little older than your Aunt Janice!
3. This is my first time reading your blog! I have enjoyed reading it and catching up with what's going on with your life.
4. I do sew! Mostly craft projects now, but I'm planning to sew fleece sleep pants for all the grandchildren for Christmas!

Question: Have you considered learning to quilt? I love it and have even made some baby quilts to donate to the local Ronald McDonald house.

Reply

Delia Miles

10/21/2014 12:36:50 pm

1. Delia - Female 2. I'm 25, can you believe I'm halfway to 50!? 3. I love looking at all the pictures you post! They've got to be my favorite, BUT I also LOVE the bags you make! I'm pretty sure you need to make you're wonderful cousin some :)
4. I don't sew. I tried to learn when I was younger but it didn't last very long. I regret it now, if I could make my own dresses that would be awesome!

Question - How many dresses have you sewn for yourself and how long does your average dress take you to make?

P.S. - You know earrings are my ABSOLUTE favorite, I have way too many, BUT I don't think you can ever have enough!

Love you!

Reply

Marie

10/21/2014 12:38:41 pm

Beth - Susan quilts beautifully! She quilted Ruben and Delia's wedding quilt and it is stitched perfectly. But Susan can tell you the rest of the story...